Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, dealing a blow to the club’s hopes of securing Champions League football for next season.
The Scotland international, 24, who sustained the problem in training last week and missed Monday’s 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, will go under the knife in the next few days.
“A specialist consultation took place on Tuesday, and as a result of further discussions with Kieran and our medical team, it has been decided that Kieran requires surgery to his (left) knee,” the club said in a statement.
“This procedure will take place in London in the forthcoming days. Kieran’s rehabilitation programme will start immediately after his surgery, at which stage a clearer understanding will be established on his recovery timescale. However, it is likely that Kieran will now miss the remainder of this season.”
Tierney’s injury means he is a doubt for Scotland’s rearranged World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine, scheduled to take place in June.
The Gunners are also assessing Thomas Partey’s fitness ahead of Saturday’s visit of Brighton after the Ghana international limped off at Selhurst Park with a right thigh injury. Right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu is due to return to training in the middle of this month following a long lay-off with a calf problem.
Arsenal’s heavy defeat at Crystal Palace left them behind fourth-placed Tottenham on goal difference, but they have one game in hand over their London rivals. Coach Mikel Arteta apologised for Arsenal’s “unacceptable” performance at Crystal. Arteta’s side were destroyed by first half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew at Selhurst Park on Monday. Unable to muster a revival after the break, Arsenal’s second defeat in their last three league games was sealed by Wilfried Zaha’s late penalty.
“We made it impossible for ourselves with the way we competed. You have to be physical and run and then you earn the right to play. We were really inconsistent on the ball and that is unacceptable,” Arteta said. “We were poor, especially in the first half. I apologise to our supporters. We didn’t have the presence or the composure to dominate the situation. That’s what I’m most annoyed with.”
It was an especially painful result for Arsenal fans given the presence in the Palace dug-out of Eagles boss Patrick Vieira, a Gunners legend after his trophy-filled playing career with the club. How they could have done with the kind of tenacious performance that was Vieira’s hallmark in midfield during Arsenal’s glory days.
Vieira comfortably out-witted Arteta, who was voted the Premier League’s manager of the month for March after masterminding his side’s climb into contention for a top four berth. Those Champions League ambitions don’t look so believable now.
“We need to put our hands up and get the criticism we deserve. Then we accept it, look ourselves in the mirror and look to the next game. This performance was not good enough,” Arteta said.